There, I Said It

Monday

Apr 14, 2014 at 6:40 PM

“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”

~ Mark Twain

You know how sometimes you know you shouldn't do something but you do it anyway ? Pretty much the story of my life when you get right down to it. It's about to happen again, right here, right now, before your very eyes. There is no reason for me to write this blog. Nobody asked me to do it, I don't want to do it, so I'm going to do it. Makes zero sense, right ? I'm in a awful mood. Feeling every bit of my 52 plus years. Back is so blown out that I can't sit, stand or lay down without pain. It took me a full 20 minutes to get myself out of bed this morning and I had to lean on a golf club to even do that. Bent the shaft on my 7 iron in the process. The Adjuster is in Bristol. I can't fold my goon sized frame into a car in order to get there. so I'm going to take it out on you. Specifically, I'm going to take it out on the people bitching about the Kennedy Park Inclusion Playground not being ready because the freakin' sun came out this weekend. This will be full of anger. This will be rude. I will come off sounding like a bigger jerk than I normally do, which is saying something, and I should just stop now. So here goes.

There is a pretty popular page on Facebook. It's called Grew Up In Fall River. Great idea. The World Wide Web being what it is, it affords people who did just what the title of the page suggests, grew up in Fall River, an opportunity to connect, catch up and reminisce. At least that's what the original intent was. I think. As with so many things on the internet, things can sometimes go astray. Sites can turn into a bonehead magnet from time to time. Yesterday was one of those times.

Somebody posted about folks using the Kennedy Park Inclusion Playground. Even though it's not ready. Even though there is a construction fence around it with signs that clearly tell people to keep out. This isn't a bunch of kids who went down there for a quick look see. This is adults taking kids down there. To play on a playground that isn't complete. Where they could get hurt. Where common sense would dictate that even though it's nice out, even though it's been a long winter, maybe it would be best to wait for the playground to be open to the general public before the general public decided to use it. You would think that would be pretty cut and dried. You would think it would just end there. You would be wrong.

There are people who are pissed off about the fact that it isn't open yet. They can see it, the kids want to use it and therefore, what the hell, lets go. These people have computers, an internet connection, the ability to type and, unfortunately, opinions. Kind of like me. Their well thought out, clearly articulated argument amounts to this: "what's the hold up". So I'll explain. One more time. I'm going to type slowly so you can read along at your pace. I'll try not to use big words either.

IT"S NOT READY! Got it. This is a project started by a small group of people who actually give a crap. They have spent two years getting it to this point. They meticulously, painstakingly went about this. Picked out every single piece of equipment, the design, the layout, the flooring. Went out and sold the idea. More than that. they went out and raised money. A hundred grand to date. The city stepped up and stepped in. The mayor jumped on board and the city council approved. What you have, or what you will have if you'd just wait a second and stay the hell off of it, is the first ever completely handicapped accessible inclusion playground where all kids can play in the god forsaken history of Fall River. What you don't have is anything to be upset about.

There is a specialty flooring that needs to be laid on a playground of this type. It's concussive drop flooring. Sixteen foot concussive drop flooring. It's expensive. It needs to be done right so nobody gets hurt should they fall. Part of doing it right is putting it down at a time when the temperature is suitable, and has been suitable for a sustained amount of time. There is an adhesive to the flooring that has to cure. The ground conditions need to be correct. In the meantime there is just ground. If your little darling should fall off of the incomplete playground now he or she is going to get hurt. Bad. There is a plan for the flooring to go down. The playground will be open in June.

Construction fence is a temporary thing. It comes in sections. It's by no means an impenetrable barrier. Openings occur. That's not meant as an invitation. That's why the signs are affixed to the fence instructing you to keep out. Of course that assumes you have the ability to comprehend said signs. Which I'm sure you do. I can only assume that you simply chose to ignore said signs because, you know, ignorance. Nobody wants to be calling the cops over something like this. They do have other stuff going on. How about you just stay off the playground ? How about staying off of Facebook too so I don't have to be put in this dreadful position again?

If you do have some incurable medical need to bitch I'll give you one to take with you. How about asking when they are going to remove the giant condom from the fountain at the Highland Park ? There, I said it.

“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”
~ Mark Twain
You know how sometimes you know you shouldn't do something but you do it anyway ? Pretty much the story of my life when you get right down to it. It's about to happen again, right here, right now, before your very eyes. There is no reason for me to write this blog. Nobody asked me to do it, I don't want to do it, so I'm going to do it. Makes zero sense, right ? I'm in a awful mood. Feeling every bit of my 52 plus years. Back is so blown out that I can't sit, stand or lay down without pain. It took me a full 20 minutes to get myself out of bed this morning and I had to lean on a golf club to even do that. Bent the shaft on my 7 iron in the process. The Adjuster is in Bristol. I can't fold my goon sized frame into a car in order to get there. so I'm going to take it out on you. Specifically, I'm going to take it out on the people bitching about the Kennedy Park Inclusion Playground not being ready because the freakin' sun came out this weekend. This will be full of anger. This will be rude. I will come off sounding like a bigger jerk than I normally do, which is saying something, and I should just stop now. So here goes.
There is a pretty popular page on Facebook. It's called Grew Up In Fall River. Great idea. The World Wide Web being what it is, it affords people who did just what the title of the page suggests, grew up in Fall River, an opportunity to connect, catch up and reminisce. At least that's what the original intent was. I think. As with so many things on the internet, things can sometimes go astray. Sites can turn into a bonehead magnet from time to time. Yesterday was one of those times.
Somebody posted about folks using the Kennedy Park Inclusion Playground. Even though it's not ready. Even though there is a construction fence around it with signs that clearly tell people to keep out. This isn't a bunch of kids who went down there for a quick look see. This is adults taking kids down there. To play on a playground that isn't complete. Where they could get hurt. Where common sense would dictate that even though it's nice out, even though it's been a long winter, maybe it would be best to wait for the playground to be open to the general public before the general public decided to use it. You would think that would be pretty cut and dried. You would think it would just end there. You would be wrong.
There are people who are pissed off about the fact that it isn't open yet. They can see it, the kids want to use it and therefore, what the hell, lets go. These people have computers, an internet connection, the ability to type and, unfortunately, opinions. Kind of like me. Their well thought out, clearly articulated argument amounts to this: "what's the hold up". So I'll explain. One more time. I'm going to type slowly so you can read along at your pace. I'll try not to use big words either.
IT"S NOT READY! Got it. This is a project started by a small group of people who actually give a crap. They have spent two years getting it to this point. They meticulously, painstakingly went about this. Picked out every single piece of equipment, the design, the layout, the flooring. Went out and sold the idea. More than that. they went out and raised money. A hundred grand to date. The city stepped up and stepped in. The mayor jumped on board and the city council approved. What you have, or what you will have if you'd just wait a second and stay the hell off of it, is the first ever completely handicapped accessible inclusion playground where all kids can play in the god forsaken history of Fall River. What you don't have is anything to be upset about.
There is a specialty flooring that needs to be laid on a playground of this type. It's concussive drop flooring. Sixteen foot concussive drop flooring. It's expensive. It needs to be done right so nobody gets hurt should they fall. Part of doing it right is putting it down at a time when the temperature is suitable, and has been suitable for a sustained amount of time. There is an adhesive to the flooring that has to cure. The ground conditions need to be correct. In the meantime there is just ground. If your little darling should fall off of the incomplete playground now he or she is going to get hurt. Bad. There is a plan for the flooring to go down. The playground will be open in June.
Construction fence is a temporary thing. It comes in sections. It's by no means an impenetrable barrier. Openings occur. That's not meant as an invitation. That's why the signs are affixed to the fence instructing you to keep out. Of course that assumes you have the ability to comprehend said signs. Which I'm sure you do. I can only assume that you simply chose to ignore said signs because, you know, ignorance. Nobody wants to be calling the cops over something like this. They do have other stuff going on. How about you just stay off the playground ? How about staying off of Facebook too so I don't have to be put in this dreadful position again?
If you do have some incurable medical need to bitch I'll give you one to take with you. How about asking when they are going to remove the giant condom from the fountain at the Highland Park ? There, I said it.